


Just Looking

by Haywire



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Bookstore, Bookstores, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-03
Updated: 2015-01-03
Packaged: 2018-03-05 04:25:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3105746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Haywire/pseuds/Haywire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Laura Hollis works at a local mom and pop bookstore, and finally works up the nerve to address a frequent loiterer of her establishment.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Looking

**Author's Note:**

> A little bookstore AU, as suggested by someone on tumblr. Just popped into my head and thought I'd give it a shot, maybe I'll try to write more, we'll see! The title sucks but I always suck at titles, so that may change too. XD

Laura sidled up to the magazine rack, purportedly rearranging some books on one of the shelves next to it. The books were already in perfect order but she pulled them out and put them back in the exact same way, making herself look busy, until she reached the brunette sitting against one of the bookstore’s pillars.

The other woman sat with her knees pulled up, a magazine resting against her legs as she casually flipped through its pages. There were two stacks, one on either side of her. She’d take a magazine from one stack, flip through it for awhile, then discard it in the other stack.

She’d been coming in for a while now and, to the best of Laura’s knowledge, or at least during her shifts, she had never purchased a single item. Not only that, she’d leave the stack of browsed magazines for Laura or someone else to re-shelf.

Clearly she was evil and had to be stopped.

Today was the day she’d finally built up the nerve, so once Laura reached the spot where she sat, she gently coughed and leaned against the other side of the pillar, casually crossing her arms.

“So, hey, you know what’s awesome?” Laura said. “Sitting at home with a good book or magazine, one you bought and brought home, and, I dunno, resting on your own couch. Or in bed, maybe. Just whatever makes you comfy, at home. With something to read.” She nodded, then added. “That you bought.”

“Yeah, that’s a real delight, I bet.” said the other woman spoke without looking up. She flipped another page, read for a for moments, then closed that magazine and put it in the discard pile.

“It is, yes.” Laura replied. “Have… have you ever thought of trying it? Not that you don’t look comfortable there, it’s just, you know.”

Sighing, the woman on the floor picked up the last magazine from her unread pile and paused before opening it.

“Look, I’m sorry, but- what’s your name again, cupcake?”

“Um, it’s Laura.” she replied, taken a little aback by the nickname. She tapped on the little nametag she wore as well for emphasis.

“Laura, right. Sorry, Laura, I just thought it was cool for me to come in, hang out, and peruse a little.” She got to her feet, smoothed out her skirt and looked down at the shorter woman. “My bad, I’ll leave you alone.”

“Oh, no no no, it’s perfectly fine to look. At things, I mean.” Laura clarified.

“Mmmhmm,” she said - and was Laura wrong or did this woman just size her up? - before adding. “And the customer _is_ always right, yes?”

“Well, using the word _customer_ implies that a commercial transaction has taken place which is kind of the problem...?” Laura managed to say, her voice getting higher in pitch and turning into more of a question as she neared the end of the sentence.

“Carmilla,” the taller woman replied, taking the end of Laura’s sentence as a question as to her name instead of the end of her rambling. “and you’re right.” She reached into a shirt pocket and pulled out a ten dollar bill, tossing it on the counter.

“There, now I’m a customer, right?” She gave a little grin and turned to leave, rolling up the magazine she’d just bought as she headed for the door. Before she left she called over her shoulder. “Oh, and keep the change. See you tomorrow.”

"O... k." Laura had just watched all of this happen, opening her mouth again once Carmilla had left. She frowned, looking down at herself. “Cupcake. Huh.” She picked up the remaining stack of magazines and started to re-shelf them, and reminded herself to ask her coworkers, Perry and LaFontaine, what they made of all this when they came in for their next shift.


End file.
